Angelina Jolie pens open letter to parents urging them not to try to be perfect during coronavirus pandemic
Angelina Jolie has written a powerful open letter to parents, reassuring them that they are not alone during the coronavirus pandemic.
Writing for Time magazine’s Parents Newsletter, the actress revealed that she believes it is “impossible” for parents to get things right all the time and “answer all needs” while families are in lockdown following the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Maleficent star has six children, Maddox, 18, Zahara, 15, Pax, 16, Shiloh, 13 and twins Knox and Vivienne, 11, with her ex-husband Brad Pitt and like many families, Jolie admitted to finding things difficult.
“Dear Parents, I am thinking of you. I am imagining how hard each of you is trying to get through your days,” she started her open letter.
“How much you want to lead your loved ones through this. How you worry. How you plan. How you smile for them, when inside you feel at times you are breaking.”
Read more: Helpline set up for parents struggling with homeschooling and difficult behaviour
She went on to explain that parents are heaping the pressure to be perfect during the pandemic, but that it is important to understand that it just isn’t possible.
“In the midst of this pandemic, I think of all the mothers and fathers with children at home. All hoping they can do everything right, answer all needs, and stay calm and positive,” she wrote.
“One thing that has helped me is to know that’s impossible.”
Jolie added that she doesn’t believe children want their parents to be “perfect,” as long as they can be “honest” about their mistakes.
“It is a lovely thing to discover that your children don’t want you perfect,” she continued. “They just want you honest. And doing your best.
“In fact, the more room they have to be great where you are weak, the stronger they may become,” she added.
“They love you. They want to help you. So in the end, it’s the team you build. And in a way, they are raising you up too. You grow together.”
Read more: Teachers best advice for parents on home schooling
The 44-year-old star also opened up about her childhood and her decision to become a mother.
“I was not a very stable youth. In fact, I never thought I could be anyone's mum. I remember the decision to become a parent. It wasn't hard to love. It wasn't hard to dedicate myself to someone and something greater than my life,” Jolie explained.
She went on to say that what she did find hard was recognising she was going to be the one who had to make sure everything was okay and that was something she had to learn.
“I realised I stopped my constant daydreaming, instead staying always ready for any break into what I was doing or thinking to answer a need. It was a new skill to acquire.”
Read more: Children can tell when parents are hiding their stress, study reveals
Jolie isn’t the only celebrity parent to open up about the stresses of parenting during coronavirus quarantine.
Earlier this month Drew Barrymore discussed the struggles she’s been experiencing trying to play the roles of teacher, mum, actress, and founder of Flower Beauty, her beauty company.
Barrymore, who shares daughters, Olive, 7, and Frankie, 5, with ex-husband Will Kopelman, talked to the Today Show's Savannah Guthrie about how she started off feeling quite positive about the situation.
“I just tried to find routine with my kids. Go on a bike ride, take a car ride, break out the chalk and do hopscotch, board games, do seeding things in little cups and make signs and be inventive.”
But the realities of trying to do it all quickly took hold.
“And then school started. And it all went out the window,” she said. “The minute I thought, ‘Oh, I’m three weeks in. I’ve got this,’ I cried every day, all day long.”
Read more: How coronavirus measures may be affecting children's mental health
Jennifer Lopez also revealed she has been struggling to home school her twins Emme and Max, 12, during coronavirus lockdown.
The Hustlers star is self-isolating with her twins, fiancé Alex Rodriguez and his two daughters Natasha, 15, and Ella, 11, at home in Miami, but has been finding it hard to take on the teaching role.
“I help with the homework. All four kids are doing virtual school right now and so I stay more on top of Emme and Max about that,” she told Ellen DeGeneres via a video link on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
“Honestly, I think w’'re all like, ‘What is this? I’m not a teacher. And also, have you seen the math that they make the kids do now? It's a new math.. it's crazy. And so half the time I’m like, ‘Ok. Yes, let's look up that word. What does that mean?’ It’s been an experience for sure.”
Meanwhile Cameron Diaz has revealed her and husband, Benji Madden’s opposite sleep schedules has helped with parenting their baby while social distancing during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
